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Australian Homes

James and Imogen Tutton and family

The Mornington Peninsula home of James and Imogen Tutton and family. Main living area – original Arco floor lamp, Poltrona Frau couch from Space furniture, Dale Frank painting, throw and cushions on the couch by Sally Campbell from Strange Trader in Byron Bay, Diesis coffee table by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia. Production – Lucy Feagins, photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about why I love documenting people’s homes and personal spaces so much. Sourcing and capturing creative homes is something I seem to spend half of every week doing, and though it is quite relentless (!!), it’s truly something I never seem to tire of. This process really is the most intimate peek into someone’s private world, and an incredible way to get to know them. It’s like peering behind someone’s ‘public’ face, and being afforded the rarest opportunity to briefly share their private world. Swooning over a beautiful home is one thing, but getting to know the interesting characters who inhabit these spaces is another thing altogether.

This means, of course, that when we have the opportunity to meet and photograph a particularly inspiring / well known / successful or notable person in their own home, well… that’s extra special. Such is the case with today’s homeowner, James Tutton, who lives in this incredible home on the Mornington Peninsula with his wife Imogen, a horse eventer with a background in law, arts, and horticulture, and their two children.

James Tutton is a social entrepreneur, and one hell of an over-achiever. (I’ve been known to bandy that term around quite frequently, but if there is anyone who deserves it, it’s James!). After founding Melbourne’s Moonlight Cinema in 1996, and selling this incredibly successful business in 2006, James turned his attention to a range of social and business ventures. Currently, in addition to being a director at design-driven Melbourne property development company Neometro, James is also heavily involved in Neometro’s social ventures – 3000acres, Slopes and Open Journal. Other projects include Smiling Mind – a digital meditation App and online resource for young people. James is also a founding board member of the micro-donation platform Shout for Good, which we introduced last year when we interviewed Jane Martino (and with your support, we raised $10k in ONE DAY using Shout last July, which still blows me away!).

James and Imogen built their home three years ago. Originally conceived as a weekender, plans quickly changed as the house took shape, and before long the Tutton family found themselves relocating here full time. ‘We have a long affinity with Byron Bay, and we actually tried living there once’ explains James of the impetus behind this sea change. In the end, Byron didn’t work out – the work commute just wasn’t viable. Instead, the Mornington Peninsula offered a similar lifestyle, and a happy compromise.

The house itself is a simple modernist structure, designed in collaboration with James’ team at Neometro. It’s an impressive presence within the landscape, cantilevering elegantly over a lake – ‘basically it is a large series of teak boxes that sit over a lake’ explains James. Constructed around one central open plan living space (there’s also a more relaxed kids TV room which is not pictured), the home is efficiently designed and supremely functional – every room is in constant, daily use.

Both their home and surrounding property are full of personal flourishes which speak of James’ and Imogen’s respective passions. Not long after settling in, infrastructure was installed for Imogen’s horses, allowing her to train just metres from her front door. Inside, James’ passion for timeless design and Australian art is clearly evident. Favourite pieces include a Thomas Jeppe painting recently purchased from Utopian Slumps, an Adam Cullen painting, and a Mike Parr work, which James says connects him with insanity – ‘not of a bad kind, but a joyous and free madness’! The smiling Buddha statue perched on the window ledge in the living room is also an unexpected favourite, purchased at a garage sale many years ago. ‘It is special to me’ says James – ‘it reminds me of goodness, impermanence and the need for love and generosity’.

When asked what he loves most about living here, James is clear and unequivocal. ‘Horizon is important’ he says. ‘I love an urban context, but also feel the joy and privilege of being able to look onto water, paddocks, and vines – not another person or built form in sight. It is something which comes slowly to you, over years. When you reach a point where that’s part of your consciousness, it becomes near impossible to let it go’.

Now 41, and ‘just hitting his stride career wise’ (his words not mine!), James is more aware than ever of the balance that is needed not only in his own life, but also between business and social endeavours in a broader context. ‘I have done all sorts of things, but inherently I just find things I can channel energy to’ he explains. ‘I see business as being a tool for both financial and social / community good’.

I feel very lucky to share James’ story and his family’s beautiful home with you today!

Main living area with view to lake. Original Arco floor lamp, Poltrona Frau couch from Space furniture, throw and cushions on the couch by Sally Campbell from Strange Trader in Byron Bay, Diesis coffee table by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, rug from Hub, Buddha status just visible on window ledge. Production – Lucy Feagins, photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

71 comments

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Cathg1g2
1 year ago

Wow, just. Wow. Location is amazing.

Tick
1 year ago

I realise that the Design Files needs to make money,
but what started out as an overview of design practice
has become a who’s who of socialites, yummy mummies
and design dabblers. I won’t be reading DF in the future.

Amber
1 year ago

That exterior wood paneling is heaven!

Chloe
1 year ago

My OCD kicks in when I see the white chair amongst the red (the fact that its shorter). Other than that this place is amazing, and I love love love the bathroom….

When can I move in? LOVE the Dale Frank painting. Tick (above) is entitled to her/his opinion. Maybe my suggestion would be to show a few more houses/flats where someone has made their home comfortable and stylish with hard rubbish, op shops and nanna’s old bedroom furniture. But I do like the ultra flash properties because they give me tips on how to blend colour and texture – even if my colour and texture is from the Salvo’s! Keep up the good work

I like to dabble in meditation apps and Smiling mind is a lovely one!!!
I really enjoyed this home Lucy, I think it’s particularly because of the beautfiul mind, beautfiul home & setting. This place just oozes peace, and that driveway would definitely help that feeling.

Woah! Major house envy.
I think, Tick, that I disagree in that TDF is still doing what they set out to do – but their own profile has increased and so they can pull-in better known people. I don’t really see a problem with this. If a home is not overly design-notable but the person happens to be and they get featured, then this is an issue. However, I’d say this house is fairly well spot on the money for TDF’s mission of showcasing Australia’s best designed homes.

Kathryn
1 year ago

All that is good about architecture, a truly amazing and beautiful home. Love the shading over the outdoor decking. So many beautiful features.

Wow! Such a gorgeous home. As someone who wishes to one day live in a similar environment (paddocks, vines, no built form or people to see) I am in love. That deck. I could sit out there for hours and when I’m done invite a few friends over for lazy sunset drinks. Love the mix of colours, finishes and the style this home has. A credit to James and his endeavors.

Sarah
1 year ago

wow, what a dream location, the furnishings seem a bit yawn to me but like you’d ever be inside if you lived there!

Loving the initiatives he is involved in especially 3000acres, bringing that little bit of green that James loves so much about his home back into vacant concrete city spaces! Neometro supporting great design.

Erin
1 year ago

Ah what a lovely house! Does anyone know what type of flooring was used in the living room? Cheers.

Balls
1 year ago

I’m not sure where you live nads, I live in a 35m squared studio in Sydney with no doors at all and don’t seem to need to have a rant in a blog comments section. If you happened to spend the time going to the Neometro link in Lucy’s post, all the designs are attempting to break away from the style of planning and developing you mentioned in your comment. Don’t generalise all developers into one basket, or you’ll find people generalising you into the basket of ‘ignorant’.

Christina
1 year ago

Beautiful, thank you! I live in NZ where we have our own (at times) repetitive (only at first glance) style. But each house, just like in OZ, has its own personality and point of magnificent difference. Re the negative posts, if one has too much house envy, or a bone to pick with certain developers, then perhaps this blog is not a good place to hang out? If I had baby envy I would not stand outside a creche watching children…

Pretty nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog
and wished to mention that I have truly loved browsing your
blog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing on your feed and I am hoping you
write once more soon!

A really thought-provoking house – with great architectural and style elements. Love how the interior is such a personal reflection of the occupants.

Starline
1 year ago

Definitely the land is exceptional and makes this place with the exterior house blending in nicely.
The Kennedee sofa and Dale Frank are one of my favourites.
There may be some truth in what Tick says but the site needs to evolve and move forward to keep up with readers who are naturally doing the same.

Kathryn_j_b
1 year ago

Another beautiful home, thanks TDF for allowing us to sticky beak into a variety of Australian homes every Wednesday. I’ve been an avid reader of TDF for years now and have been astounded at some of the negativity of comments lately. I just don’t get it. We’re not paying for the right to read it, no one is making us read it, it’s not like we are writing it or making the effort to find, shoot and create the blog that showcases the homes. Why do people feel they have the right to be so scathing? Christina: you made an excellent point while making me laugh. Btw the ‘Smiling Mind’ app is a wonderful initiative in the much needed area of adolescent mental health.

Jen w
1 year ago

A beautiful home with beautiful people living in it :) Good luck to them. Thank you for allowing us a peek inside

Kath W
1 year ago

Thanks Lucy & TDF, this is stupendous. Great work.

Christina
1 year ago

@Kathryn_j_b: Glad I made you laugh! Sometimes I have both house and baby envy. But then I just take a step back, and remember that these are “best of” photos, and these people have real lives with real ups and downs too. I know, I’ve been there…Lucy, you just keep it up! Thanks for this *free* daily magazine. Pretty generous of you I reckon.

frankie
1 year ago

Who made the curtains? They are lovely and curtains never get a mention…. please

HI James – loving the stuff you are doing (in particular the Interface designs of the apps) and just wondering if you’ve considered / would consider replacing the hammock with greenery? Most waterways need the green edge around them to stay healthy and the horizon is as much a state of mind (or a walk around the Mornington Peninsula) don’t you think? I’m not suggesting you cleared the foliage up to the lake, or the lake is not man-made, just wondering if it’s the right message to send to people who do live near waterways? Instead, imagine the benefits of providing bush to the water’s edge: more birdsong, more wildlife and an active imagination (or creative solutions) for what lies beyond… I can see there’s a few sedges there, best of luck with your choices into the future, keep making them.

And to address some of the previous comments I agree that I love seeing home ideas that are slightly more ‘achievable’ for want of a better word. However there are obviously a multitude of blogs for that exact purpose already, and nothing else quite like TDF around on the Internet at all. I think the main point to note is that TDF has moved more from home tours that rely heavily on fabulous styling to make them amazing, toward home tours that rely on amazing architectural features to make them amazing. Which I love seeing both of.

Beautiful and inspiring. Please ignore the negative comments, I wish people didn’t have to post them. Your blog inspires me every week and I love seeing the homes and hearing the stories. I have found so many new designers through this and it is endlessly inspiring to read and feeds back into my own illustration and design. Thank you!

Inger
1 year ago

LOVE this house and the setting and the furnishings etc. Thanks for a lovely post to wake up to this morning. Any chance you could tell me where Charlie the Greyhounds bed came from? I need one for my pup and all of the dog beds I have seen to date are super ugly. Thank you! x

Markus
1 year ago

Obviously loving the setting/garden but the cabinetry and the curtains are amazing. I’ve noticed this style through out many of neometro’s developments over the years, always done so well.

I also love the use of greens and native plant style colours through out the interior, subtle and broken up just enough. Love it! Great feature!

re: Inger above…I have seen very similar dog beds at Pet Stock in Hawthorn, they are great looking and solid for big dogs. Not certain they’re the exact same but they look the same from the photo…check them out online!

I like the interior of the house but I am really impressed from their yard. The entrance drive, the bridge and most of all- the hammock. It seems that they have a peace a heaven…

Tania Toole
1 year ago

Hi James, I really admire your abode you’ve created & open space to escape the daily buzz of urban living & not forgetting Charlie!!!
If not too much bother would you kindly share where you purchase the track lighting you have installed??? Our resources being based in Perth are limited.
Thanks in advance Tania

Jane
1 year ago

I really like this house.

Jane
1 year ago

What I don’t like is reading negative comments: e.g. 14. Cross “good riddance to bad rubbish”. Tick has voiced a personal opinion. Some people will agree, some will disagree, there are shades of grey. It is not a “negative comment”. Poor old Nads has made a comment that is true of many developments and gets a serve from Balls for generalising. Christina is holier than thou, Kathryn_j_b thinks people should not be so “scathing”. I really like the Design Files but, like anything, it needs to keep evolving and reader feedback is really important. Just because it’s “free” doesn’t mean the reader’s have no right to comment. Quite the contrary, TDF needs to keep Tick and co in order to maintain it’s success.

Chelsea
1 year ago

Jane (#49), you’ve given your feedback in a relatively tactful manner; I’d suggest that if those who initiated the negative comments had done likewise, their feedback would have been read and accepted with no issue. I think the difference between you and the initiators that you’ve named (tick, nads etc) is that their “opinion” is stated so bluntly, if not rudely.

I love the houses every week on TDF; even those not to my taste are fascinating for the voyeuristic glimpse into the lives of others. Reading the comments lately is turning my lovely Wednesday home experience into a downer.

Thanks so much for the comments guys. Thankyou CHELSEA for yours which I loved, and also to Sam and Christina (very funny I agree!). I am so grateful for all the supportive words and I agree, the negative stuff recently has been a bit of a downer! I truly don’t believe its indicative of a majority.

Jane, I am grateful for your comments and your tact, thankyou. I am not averse to negative comments generally however I must say, I don’t have any time for comments which are insensitive to the homeowner who has generously opened their home up for viewing and for discussion. That is usually where I draw the line.

As a side note, I feel that anonymous commenters who post (usually negative) comments without a valid username or email address is quite cowardly. If you have genuine feedback about this site I would certainly welcome it, and take it far more seriously from those who have identified themselves, rather than those who hide behind anonymous usernames.

It’s also worth noting that it’s quite easy for anyone to write me an email directly with any feedback, without offending the homeowners.

Full disclosure, James and Imogen are friends of mine and I have always admired their commitment to living a meaningful and sustainable life. They could well afford to live in an opulent McMansion but chose instead to live in a house which, though luxuriously furnished, has a much smaller and efficient footprint than most of the houses on the Peninsula, which is not something that is immediately obvious from seeing the photos on the website. They even survived the 45 degree summer days with no air-conditioning installed in their passive energy house. No one is perfect and I don’t believe any of us hold ourselves as paradigms of perfection or role models to the public, so I agree with Lucy, if someone is generous enough to open their doors and invite us into their homes, it would be decent to show some appreciation and hold off the snarky comments.

vanessa
1 year ago

oh my!!!!!!!!!!

James & Imogen what a beautiful home you have made. I love your beautiful art.

Although this house isn’t to my personal taste, I do love so many houses profiled on TDF and think Lucy has done a sterling job in keeping up the momentum with this site. Homes are photographed superbly and the thematics employed on a day-to-day basis actually work really well (I always check the blog on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in particular, because I know the type of content I am going to get). My only real concern lies around the accessibility of many of the products, fittings, locales, practitioners etc featured on the site. For the everyday professional working hard to make a living, the cost attached to many of these items / services / goods and housing locations is completely prohibitive. It would be great to see TDF introduce some sort of feature that profiles more affordable / laterally-conceived spaces in some of the less-explored suburbs, for instance. ‘Design on a budget’ perhaps? Otherwise, fantastic work Lucy and do hang in there amongst your critics! Most of them are just incredibly jealous I imagine ;-) !

Christina
1 year ago

Yikes, Jane! My comments were based on my own experience. There’s feedback, and then there’s just angry criticism. My response was general and in part about the absolutist negative comments that were not remotely helpful, from both this and Lucy’s previous house post. P.s. your it’s should be *its*.

Jacob
1 year ago

Great article and pictures.

Does anyone know what sort of wooden flooring that is?

Thanks

suzy
1 year ago

Firstly, amazing home. MP is a wonderful place for children to grow (and adults :) …..wow…i couldent imagine why anyone would negative comment on the web period though to do it on such a wonderfully thought out blog is beyond comprehension. this blog is for FREE and you DONT have to read it. if its not for you then move onto another blog which is. dont crticize a persons hard work, its alittle childish…Lucy, ive read your blog from the beginning and your continual growth is inspiring and makes me proud to be a Melbournian x

What an inspiring man, a beautiful home, great interview and fantastic photography. My Wednesday was all out of whack as I missed my email!

Clare
1 year ago

Smiling Mind is for adolescents? Never realised… Love that app. Actually, love the meditations, I found the app very glitchy (I should go back and see about updates). Very cool to see the person behind it. I had no idea it was the same person as Moonlight Cinemas!

Jenny
1 year ago

Thank you James, Imogen and family for sharing your beautiful home. It seems to ‘nestle in’ to its context and I imagine it gives a great deal of pleasure and peace each day. I also loved the curtains which could deal with the weather outside (Melbourne’s sometimes long hot days and cold spells!). Thanks for sharing your hard work as I feel inspired to work towards a more sustainable way of heating/cooling in design.

Kim de Kretser
1 year ago

Well done Lucy as usual! James such an amazing home, it makes me take a long deep breath, no wonder you made it permenant!

Kg
1 year ago

Wow! My favourite house of all time by far! ;) Don’t ever stop these amazing stories . These insights in to how people (any people) make beautiful places and homes for themselves, their kids, partners, friends and families to enjoy together is always awesome!

Amanda
1 year ago

I love the Smiling Mind app and this house gives me the same feeling. Seriously love that sofa and something approaching clutter on the windowsill. Good choice, Lucy.

Just a footnote re- honest critiquing. I think a helpful rule is to ask- would this be ok to send to a client? If not, then maybe reword. Or maybe not send. But that’s just me. Words can really really hurt. Even in the name of frankness, there can often be kinder, more courteous ways to express feedback that is helpful and not destructive. It’s a bit of a lost art , yet I’d love to see more of it in this online world.

@Cross. The correct term is ‘design practice’.
Thank you Jane for your measured response.
Lucy, I think you do a great job by keeping this
all going, but for me DF has become an online
version of the ubiquitous interior magazines
that embody a sameness and predictability
that is more about consumer culture than
promoting good design. It’s clear many people
enjoy DF, and I have been reading this blog for
a number of years. but I am now looking for
something with a stronger design focus.

You have my email details, and I noticed that
I have been unsubscribed. Criticism
is essential to all cultures, it may not always
be welcome, but it’s how we make what
we do better.

Joss
12 months ago

Love the simplicity and focus on the beautiful surrounds.
Can you please share the floorboards that were used?

Just love TDF for sharing images of this beautifully designed home of James Tutton family. Love the sofa of living area and Dale Frank’s painting adds a more enticing look. The dinning area is also designed asthetically with marvelous Chris Connell calcutta marble table. The home looks stylish at the same time comfortable as importance has been given to create stunning interiors and exteriors. Gives a heavenyly feeling!